Subscribe to Blog via Email

The Webster dictionary defines Qanukiaq as something or somehow. As in, “How are we going to do this?” One could answer, “somehow”. Qanukiaq is the first step in finding solutions to all your biggest problems (and some of the small ones).

The crew at Qanukiaq is known for their quiet, timid and shy ways in work as well as in life. This unjoking group of hard-workers see projects through with robotic skill and the ingenuity of a life-long hunter. They once shot, edited and distributed a feature film without once speaking aloud to each other. They take things way too personally and are constantly paranoid.

They all have big families and work hard for them. Each hasat least five kids with at least two ex’s. They brag about this unendingly. Family is important. And so is their culture and heritage.

Qanukiaq Studios is a %100 Inuit owned business. Although none of the owners are fully Inuit. They almost make up a full Inuk between them. And because of this they often pretend there is a full Inuk in the room with them. They do not agree on a name, but have settled on Woody. They must seek immediate mental medical attention.

Here we are on a very important conference call with a lawyer, a financier and two business affairs pros (we were trying to get our first bank loan) cell phone in a bowl for sound projection & in a storage room cause it was the only place we could get cell service! Ps. it worked out thankfully and just last weekend we bought a new phone 😂👌 But jokes aside its been a great year, we have an awesome team, we begin production on a new season in January we and we look forward to working with more hardworking, fun Nunavummiut.

The kamik and converse have become a popular image for the Qanurli? series. Its was conceived with the idea of us as modern Inuit having one foot in both worlds – traditional and new.

We recently ran a contest on our social media with the above image and had over 1K likes and shares and got us over 500 new followers! Although our Facebook is usually very active – this was definitely a record breaker for us.

Iqaluit, Nunavut (September 2, 2016) – The comedic crew behind the hit series Qanurli? are back with their fifth season, set to premiere on the Aboriginal People’s Television Network’s North feed at 7:00 PM Central (8:00 PMEastern) on Monday, September 5, 2016. The latest season of the Inuktut-language show includes 13 new episodes, shot in Iqaluit, Nunavut and, for the first time, Kuujjuaq, Nunavik.

“We are so excited to unleash this season on our audience,” said Vinnie Karetak, who plays Nipangi Huittaq, one of the show’s lead characters. “Season five ushered in a new era for us at Qanurli? – our company, Qanukiaq Studios, took over as producers, we gained more funding, built a bigger crew. You’re going to see that reflected on screen.”

Despite these changes and growths, the show still remains, at its core, the community-oriented, locally-made, DIY-driven series fans have come to know and love. Returning this season are recurring characters like Uu and Aa, both played by Iqaluit-based actress, Malaya Qaurnirq Chapman, and Hiccuper, played by Samson Wager Ford. In addition, viewers will be introduced to a host of new characters and some amazing new sets.

“We’re always trying to learn and improve,” said Anguti Johnston, who is the show’s lead writer, one of its directors and producers, and the actor who plays principal character, Inuk Qablunaaq. “Season five is, without a doubt, our best season ever. So now we have a new benchmark to surpass, for future seasons.”

The Qanurli? team invites people to not only tune in on Monday evening, but to connect with them via social media during the shows broadcast using the hashtag #QanurliPremiere. “It’s a fun way to engage with our audience,” said Stacey Aglok MacDonald, lead producer of Qanurli? “Plus, there will be chances to win the last Qanurli? cap and some awesome new swag!”

Fans of the series are encouraged to follow along and enter for a chance to win prizes by using #QanurliPremiere on Twitter and Facebook on Monday, September 5th, starting at 7:45 PM (EST).

Above: Qanukiaq writers/producers with Prime Minisiter, Justin Trudeau in Iqaluit, Nunavut Below: Trudeau family out and about while wearing our Qanurli cap!

Piqativu! Trudeau’s son is sporting our #qanurli hat! We get so happy when we see people wearing them whether it’s an Elder at the bank or our Prime Ministers son! So awesome. CBC Nunavut qujannamiik for pointing this out!

You can find out more about our tv series here: www.qanurli.ca or find us on Facebook or Twitter

Qanukiaq Studios is where dreams come true… if you dream about the world having a company that produces an Inuktitut TV series that makes people laugh and smile.

But seriously, our biggest current project is the 5th and 6th seasons of Qanurli? A show no longer produced by IBC. Qanurli is a well known Inuktitut comedy among the Inuit of Canada and starting to get a lot of attention in Alaska and Greenland, if you want more check out Qanurli on facebook.

So, that is us in the shortest possible way to be explained. If you want to learn more send us an email and check out our videos on youtube and facebook.
Owned by 4 mostly young mostly Inuit young Inuit.

The little Inuktitut comedy show that aims high! Nukurmiik to our broadcaster Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, our funders CMF and the Nunavut Film Development Corporation and also to First Air, The Airline of the North for supporting us in taking the show to other Inuit regions this weekend! ‪#‎Qanurli‬

The Northern Journal did a story on Qanurli. From small budget kids in Iqaluit teaching ourselves how to make a tv show with IBC, to starting our own company, Qanukiaq Studios, getting a broadcast license and becoming a CMF funded show – its been a crazy fun and challenging ride for us right from the start. Never give up guys!

We need to give a shout out here for those early years of mentorship and support given to us and Qanurli by Kath Clarida-Fry, Angie Pajek and Stephanie Brown who worked with us at IBC. We also had some teammates in those years that worked crazy hard and contributed some of the awesomest ideas, such as Nooks Lindell! Nakurmiik to our growing team of collaborators and mentors today also. It takes a team.